conjectural navel gazing; jesus in lint form

choosing sides

One of the recurring themes in Baptist life since The Beginning of Time is schism. This is not news. The famed Roger Williams is often cited as the founder of the very first Baptist congregation in the United States...and was promptly kicked out after only a brief tenure, founded another church, and, if I remember correctly, split from that one to form another community that met in his house for worship and study. It's in our genes. What can I say?

I've mentioned in a couple of previous entries that I am reading Martin Marty's book Righteous Empire. I just finished the chapter about the divisions within Protestantism that came to a head in the 1920's (read: the rise of fundamentalism, modernism and the decline of empiricist ideals within liberal Protestant camps). One of the figures Marty mentions is Harry Emerson Fosdick. He's always been kind of a hero of mine. My liberal Baptist minister grandfather brainwashed me. I have no excuses. He was, intentionally or not, one of the most divisive preachers of his day.

"I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it." - Harry Emerson Fosdick

One of the things I am increasingly aware of in ABC is the need or the necessity of choosing sides in ecclesial struggles. I thought that I could continue to articulate a message that did not take a particular stance, but this is revealing itself as impossible. The more I preach and am given opportunities to articulate my own thoughts and concerns about the gospel and the church, I find myself picking sides.

Like Fosdick, I am a liberal. I tend to think of the gospel as being roomy...as allowing for multiple interpretations (communities of interpretation). Some think that this is foolish or worse, heretical. I can live with that. Where I am struggling with a little disillusionment these days is how that contrary position effects my day to day life as a pastor.

Perhaps I am simply overly conscious of it. That's a posibility. But this job search thing is underscoring my perception of the divisions within my own denomination. That Church had a long list of questions to assure for themselves that I am liberal enough for them. Other congregations in their advertisements will say that they are conservative, Bible-based, fundamentalist or something else descriptive that demonstrates their theological bent. This is good, useful and helpful in the search. But it means that I have to pick a church that is not one of these...I am compelled by their stance to look elsewhere. There is nothing surprising in this...except for my own frustration.

I am an idealist...probably naive and foolish (and poor at spelling)...I feel short-changed, slighted somehow by their barring the gates to me. It's probably vanity. But because I perceive room, I can imagine myself preaching in a congregation much more conservative than myself. But we are compelled to choose sides. The lines are continually being drawn. I am liberal. They are conservative. I am progressivist, they are fundamentalist. Modern, post-modern, emergent, classical, hymn-based, praise band, mega church, family church, community church, denominational congregation.

It just bugs me today. I am frustrated with myself. I am frustrated with the state of my denomination. Finding a church when people are setting themselves apart, choosing sides, is miserable.

Posted by tripp at January 30, 2006 08:42 AM